The All India Football Federation is keen not to lift the lid on the future of its men’s national team coach even though Manolo Marquez has informed his intention to leave even before India’s defeat in an AFC Asian Cup qualifier on 10th June.
The Spaniard had already decided in April and had informed the AIFF on the sidelines of the Super Cup in Bhubaneswar but accepted a request to extend his stay on the understanding of initiating a mutual termination process after the away game in Hong Kong, in which they conceded a 1-0 defeat.
While president Kayan Chaubey insisted at a press conference on 13th June that a call on Marquez’s status would only be taken at its executive committee meeting on 2nd July, national team director Subrata Paul let the cat out of the bag in an e-mail on June 24.
Sent to all the head of the departments of the AIFF, Paul had informed: “A crucial decision needs to be taken regarding the appointment of the head coach for the Indian senior football team. The committee must discuss whether to entrust this responsibility to an Indian coach or to appoint a foreign expert, keeping in mind the current complex scenario in the Asian Cup Qualifier group.”
His declaration is at odds with what Chaubey, in the presence of Paul, said in New Delhi. “In the last few days, we’ve received several calls questioning whether he should continue. A decision will be taken during the Executive Committee meeting,” he told a room full of journalists at the Press Club of India in Central Delhi.
